Sunday, too, was a working day for the sub-registrar offices in Bangalore.

But the people who rushed there, thinking the office was working as usual, had to return disappointed, for the officials weren't there to serve the public.

They were there as directed by the chief minister's office. And their orders were to dig up documents to indicate any land scam involving former chief ministers H. D. Kumaraswamy and N. Dharam Singh. Yeddyurappa, who is facing the heat of a lok ayukta notice regarding denotification of land, seems to have resorted to this measure in desperation.

Yeddyurappa's political secretary Puttaswamy had officially directed the sub-registrars of Bangalore urban and rural districts to work on Sunday. "You are directed to produce all documents pertaining to land transactions carried out by former prime minister H. D. Deve Gowda's family in your jurisdiction. You have to keep the offices open on Sunday if required in order to complete the job assigned to you," Puttuswamy's letter stated.

More than 20 sub-registrar offices and six tahsildars' offices in Bangalore, therefore, worked on Sunday. "We have been digging for files since last evening ( Saturday) in batches. We have received specific instructions from the chief minister's office. So far, we have found no such file in our jurisdiction," a sub-registrar from North Bangalore said on the condition of anonymity.

Kumaraswamy criticised Yeddyurappa's action.

"This shows Yeddyurappa is desperate to defame me by hook or by crook. He has ordered the revenue department staff to dig out files that do not exist. If I had committed any illegality relating to land de-notification during my tenure as the CM, such files would have been made public by now. This wasteful exercise demonstrates that I have not de-notified land in favour of my family members or friends," he said.

The state government launched an advertisement campaign in the media to highlight the achievements of Yeddyurappa.

"People will not be fooled by government advertisements making false claims. If Yeddyurappa has the guts, let him face the polls," Kumaraswamy added.

Congress leaders Siddaramaiah and G. Parameshwar urged the chief minister to step down as lok ayukta N. Santosh Hegde had issued notice to him. "The notice has been issued in connection with the land de-notification case after the lok ayukta found prima facie evidence against the CM. Then, how can he continue to remain in office? He should step down immediately," Siddaramaiah said.

The leader of the Opposition in the assembly also said Yeddyurappa was questioning the dignity of lok ayukta.

In turn, Yeddyurappa has issued a gag order on BJP MLAs and leaders, and asked them not to take any step or issue any statement that would lower the dignity of office of the lok ayukta probing the land allotment complaints against the CM.